“This is the well-known Mr. Bross” she continued picking on a pear-shaped gent with plump legs in white trousers and a short evening jacket, so he came up smiling with blandness.
“Pleased to meet you Mr. Poet” said he and the Countess wispered to Selia “He is rather an amusing man we have asked him ten times before it is a pity he is nearly finished.”
“How is that” said Selia bowing to him.
“Oh he is no good at much but foreign langwages” said the Countess merrily, “and he only knows fifteen. You see as he is not [132] ]very high born we expect him to amuse us, and he sings very well so he has to burst into song after breakfast on Sundays to take away the rather chilly feeling on Sunday mornings. As he has already sung in ten different langwages and of course we wouldn’t like the same one twice, he only has five more weekends to come.”
The langwage-singer sighed at this no doubt overhearing, and gave way to a greyish-coloured fellow reeking a little of wine. “This is Mr. Panter, you must have heard of him” said the Countess. “He makes reputations.”
“Is that so” said Selia who was keeping her end up very well, “what does he make them of?”
“Ah dear girl you do not understand” simpered the other lady, “we always ask him down for when one gets a bit stale of people and they have not done anything in the way of [133] ]a stunt lately, he makes up such sweet little stories about everyone that they become quite nice again, and for some he makes up entire reputations for a consideration, and they live on them.”
“Oh I see” said Selia “it is a business.”
“Naturally” said the Countess kindly “for they all want to live you know and as cats have the artfulness to live by being cats and so getting milk and meat, so many are compelled to live by having reputations which causes them to be asked about and fed. Mr. Panter has the most magnificent set of offices near the British Museum.”
“I must remember him” said Selia “he might come in useful some day when we want to be noticed.”